Nether garments



Jan. 25, 1966 M. H. FRENCH ETAL 3,230,543

NETHER GARMENTS Filed July 23, 1963 2. Sheets-Sheet 1 qniorS A ftorneys i Jan. 25, 1966 M. H. FRENCH ETAL 3,230,548

NETHER GARMENTS Filed July 23, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventors Isabefle Fi a/b MQ /hC 77/2/70A I magma {M w rneys United States Patent C) 3,230,548 NETHER GARMENTS Maxine Helen French, Flamingo Hotel, Hillbrow, and Isabelle Fraser Paine, 003 Kent Place, Birdhaven, both of Johannesburg, Transvaal Province, Republic of South Africa Filed July 23, 1963, Ser. No. 297,156 3 Claims. (Cl. 2224) This invention relates to articles of clothing, particularly to nether garments for men, women and children, and specifically to a method of manufacturing such garments.

Nether garments usually comprise at least two, more generally three and often more, pieces of material, so that a nether garment normally has at least two seams, usually extending down the sides, and in addition thereto one or more frontal or crotch seams depending on the sex and age of the wearer.

According to the invention, a nether garment is made of a single piece of cloth substantially in the form of an isosceles right angled triangle the odd side of which is disposed along the direction in which the cloth has maximum stretchability, the three angle regions of the cloth being folded over so that at least a portion of each of the equal sides is adjacent another portion of that same side, a waist opening being defined by the odd side of the triangle of cloth, and leg openings being defined by the equal sides of the triangle of cloth when the angle regions are so folded over, the angle regions being joined along at least part of the adjacent portions of the equal sides to form two seamlines converging upwardly from the leg openings towards the waist opening.

The direction of maximum stretchability will vary with different types of cloths used. For example, if a woven fabric is used, the maximum stretchability will be along the cross of the fabric, that is in a direction forming an angle of 45 with the warp and the weft threads; whereas if a knitted fabric is used, the maximum stretchabil-ity will be in a direction transverse to the direction of knit and parallel to the courses of knitting.

Thus, when a nether garment according to the invention is made of a woven cloth, the isosceles triangle of cloth should have its odd side disposed along the cross of the cloth; whereas when a knitted cloth is used, the odd side of the triangle should be disposed transversely to the direction of knit and parallel to the courses of knitting of the cloth.

According to a further feature of the invention, cut outs, conveniently of oval or substantially semicircular configuration, may be provided in the equal sides, in a position so as to define rounded leg openings in the finished garment.

In one embodiment of the invention, the angle reg-ions are folded over such that the three angles meet in line with the edge of the waist opening defined by the odd side of the triangle, so as to provide two converging seamlines presenting an inverted V.

Alternatively and preferably, the two angle regions subtended by the two equal sides may be folded over towards each other into over-lapping relationship, to define the waist opening, and the third angle region subtended by the odd side may be folded over to define the crotch part of the garment and to meet the first two angle regions at a point intermediate of the waist opening edge and the crotch, thereby providing two converging and intersecting seamlines. These seamlines may represent an X if the seamlines are extended along the overlapping parts of the equal sides to the waist opening. Alternatively these seamlines may represent an inverted Y if only one seamline is extended along the overlapping part of one equal side to the waist opening, and the unsecured overlapping corner is cut off.

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The seams may conveniently be joined by stitching. Furthermore the panel formed by the folded over angle regions may conveniently be the front panel of the garment.

In a particular embodiment of the invention, a nether garment is made of a right angled isosceles triangle of a woven cloth, the hypotenuse being disposed along the cross of the cloth. When the angle regions are folded over in the manner hereinbefore described, two seamlines are provided at one of which the weft threads at either side of the seamline are disposed in longitudinally adjacent and parallel relationship, and the warp threads at either side thereof meet at right angles to the seam, while at the other seamline the warp threads are parallel and the weft threads meet at right angles. This feature enables the provision of strong seamlines capable of standing up to considerable strain which may be caused by body movement of the wearer.

The invention and the manner in which it may be put into practice will now be more fully described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings. The invention is, however, not limited to the embodiments shown.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 represents a plan view the lay-out of a triangle of cloth for manufacturing a nether garment according to the invention;

FIGURE 2 shows a ba-bys nether garment according to the invention;

FIGURE 3 shows a mans swimming trunks made according to the invention;

FIGURE 4 shows a boys swimming trunks of'striped material; and

FIGURE 5 shows the lay-out of the cloth triangle used for producing the garment shown in FIGURE 4.

Referring to the drawings, in which like reference numerals indicate similar parts, a nether garment generally indicated as 10, is made of a single piece of cloth cut substantially in the form of an isosceles triangle 12. The odd side 14 of the triangle, which will eventually form the waist girthing top of the garment, is disposed along the direction in which the cloth has maximum stretchability.

When a woven cloth is used, the odd side is disposed along the cross of the material, as is shown in FIGURES 1 and 5; the warp and weft threads are shown at 16 in FIGURE 1 and are disposed at an angle of 45 relative to the odd side 14; similarly in FIGURE 5 the stripes 18 formed by the weft threads, also form an angle' of 45 with the odd side 14.

When a knitted cloth is employed, the odd side 14 which finally forms the waist girthing top of the garment, is disposed transversely to the direction of knit, indicated by the direction of the shading lines 20 in FIGURE 3.

The equal sides 22a and 22b of the triangle 12 are provided with cut-outs 24, which define the leg openings 26 in the finished garment.

A nether garment according to the invention, is produced by folding the angle regions 28a, 28b and 280 over and towards each other so that a portion of each of equal sides 22a and 22b is positioned adjacent another portion of that same side. The adjacent portions of the equal sides are then joined as by stitching to form two seamlines 30a and 30b converging towards the waist opening 32 defined by the odd side 14.

It will be noted that the angle regions 28a and 28b have been folded over into overlapping relationship to provide overlap 34. In the embodiments shown in FIG- URES 3 and 4, the seamlines 30a and 30b have been extended along those portions of the equal sides 22a and 22b edging the overlap 34 up to the waist opening 32, to represent an X in front elevation. In the embodifor use by wearers of-difrerent age and sex.

ment shown in FIGURE Z no overlap is formed, since the corner 36 of the angle region 28bv has been cut off, so that only seamline 30a is, extended up to waist opening 32, and an inverted Y is represented by the seamlines in front elevation.

The garments may be finished off by the provision of cuffs or binding 38 around the leg openings 26, and by the provision of elastic, or a hem 40 for accommodating.

elastic or other tightening means, around the waist opening 32. Furthermore, double layers of material may be provided in regions where reinforcement is required.

The provision of nether garments in accordance with the invention entails variousadvantages, such as for example little wastage of material, as is indicated in FIG- URE l, in which the numeral 42 indicates generally a length of woven cloth, from which triangles'12 and 12a shown in broken lines, are cut for producing nether garments accordingto the invention. It is clear that from a square piece of cloth two triangles can be cut, with the minimum of material wastage. Furthermore, there are few seams to be joined; and stretchability isprovided in the garments by virtue of the cut of the triangle of cloth. Nether garments of different sizes may be provided ,to fit men, women, and children, with no basic alteration of the triangular pattern lay-out.

The arrangement according to the invention may furthermore effectively be used with patterned cloth, because an uninterrupted pattern may be produced on the front panel of the garment constituted by the folded over angle regions. This feature is illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 5, which show a garment of striped material having a front panel in which the, striped pattern is uninterrupted.

Garments according to the invention may be adapted For example, if a garment is intended for a male wearer, one of the seamlines may be discontinued to provide a fly opening 43 for the convenience of the wearer in the exercise of his natural functions.

We claim:

1. A nether garment which is made of a single piece of cloth substantially in the form of an isosceles rightangled triangle the odd side of which is disposed along the direction in which the cloth has maximum stretchability, the three angle regions of the cloth being folded over so that at least a portion of each of the equal sides is adjacent another portion of that same side, in that the two angle regions subtended by the two equal sides are folded over towards each other into overlapping relationship, so that a waist opening is defined by the odd side of the triangle, and in that the third angle region subtended by the odd side is folded over to define the crotch part of the garment and to meet the first two angle regions at a point intermediate of the waist opening edge and the crotch, so that leg openings .are defined by the equal sides of the triangle of cloth when the angle regions are so folded over, the angle regions being joined along at least part of the adjacent portions of each of the equal sides to form two seamlines converging upwardly from the leg openings towards the waist opening and intersecting at the point atwhich the third angle region meets the first two angle regions.

2. A nether garment which is made of a single piece of cloth substantially in.the form of an isosceles rightangled triangle the, odd side of whichis disposed along the direction in which the cloth has maximum stretchability, the three angle regions of the cloth being folded over so that at, least a portion ofeach of :the equal sides is adjacent another portion of that same side, in that the two angle regions subtended by the two equalsides are folded over towards'each other into overlapping relationship, so that a waist opening is defined by, the odd side of the triangle, and in that the third angle region subtended by the odd side is foldedover to define the crotch part of the garment and to meet the first two angle regions at a point intermediate of the, waist opening edge and the crotch, the angle regions being, joined along. at leastpart of the adjacent portions of each of the equal sides to form two seamlines converging upwardly from the leg openings towards; the waist. opening, the seamlines being extended along the overlapping parts of the equal sides to the, waistopening, to form intersecting seamlines representing an X.

3. A nether garment which is made of a single piece of cloth-substantially in the form of an isosceles rightangled-triangle the oddside of which is disposed along the direction in which the cloth has maximum stretchability, the three angle regions. of the cloth being folded over so thatat least a portion ofeach of the equal sides is adjacent another portion of that same side, in that the two angle regions subtended by the two equal sides are folded over towards, each other into overlapping relationship, so that a waistopening is defined by the odd side of the triangle, and in that the third angle region subtended by the odd side is folded over to define the crotch part of the garment and to meet the first two angle regions at a point intermediate of the waist opening edge and the; crotch, the angle regions being joined along at least part of the adjacent portions of each of the equal sides to form two seamlines converging upwardly from the leg openings towards the waist opening, in which only one. seamline is extended along theoverlapping partof one equal side to the waist opening, and the unsecured overlapping corner-is cut off, to form two seamlines representing an inverted Y.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,243,643 5/ 1941 Murphey 2224 2,431,571 11/1947 Lehr 2224 2,466,545 4/ 1949 Hessel 2224 FOREIGN PATENTS 871,282 3/1953 Germany.

ROBERT V. SLOAN, Primary Examiner.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Examiner. 

1. A NETHER GARMENT WHICH IS MADE OF A SINGLE PIECE OF CLOTH SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE FORM OF AN ISOSCELES RIGHT ANGLED TRIANGLE THE ODD SIDE OF WHICH IS DISPOSED ALONG THE DIRECTION IN WHICH THE CLOTH HAS MAXIMUM STRETCHABILITY, THE THREE ANGLE REGIONS OF THE CLOTH BEING FOLDED OVER SO THAT AT LEAST A PORTION OF EACH OF THE EQUAL SIDES IS ADJACENT ANOTHER PORTION OF THAT SAME SIDE, IN THAT THE TWO ANGLE REGIONS SUBTENDED BY THE TWO EQUAL SIDES AND FOLDED OVER TOWARDS EACH OTHER INTO OVERLAPPING RELATIONSHIP, SO THAT A WAIST OPENING IS DEFINED BY THE ODD SIDE OF THE TRIANGLE, AND IN THAT THE THIRD ANGLE REGION SUBTENDED BY THE ODD SIDE IS FOLDED OVER TO DEFINE THE CROTCH PART OF THE GARMENT AND TO MEET THE FIRST TWO ANGLE REGIONS AT A POINT INTERMEDIATE OF THE WAIST OPENING EDGE AND THE CROTCH, SO THAT LEG OPENINGS ARE DEFINED BY THE EQUAL SIDES OF THE TRIANGLE TO CLOTH WHEN THE ANGLE REGIONS ARE SO FOLDEDOVER, THE ANGLE REGIONS BEING JOINED ALONG AT LEAST PART OF THE ADJACENT PORTIONS OF EACH OF THE EQUAL SIDES TO FROM TWO SEAMLINES CONVERGING UPWARDLY FROM THE LEG OPENINGS TOWARDS THE WAIST OPENING AND INTERSECTING AT THE POINT AT WHICH THE THIRD ANGLE REGION MEETS THE FIRST TWO ANGLE REGIONS. 